BENCHMARK A » Compare cultural practices, products and perspectives of past civilizations in order to understand commonality and diversity of cultures

INDICATOR 2: Explain how the Silk Road trade and the Crusades affected the cultures of the people involved

The Silk Road

This resource provides a scholarly in-depth overview of the history of the Silk Road. It introduces geography, early history of the region, the nature of the route and how it was development. This is an excellent resource for teachers to use to build background knowledge.
Courtesy of Ohio Social Studies Resource Center


Silk Road lessons

"This instructional resource was authored by two Ohio educators and published by the Ohio Council for Social Studies on their website. This lesson plan encourages students to explore cultural exchanges made along the Silk Road. During this two day lesson students will be introduced to an overview on the Silk Road, focus on the location and physical geography of the Silk Road, and explore the concept of cultural exchange. The post assessment, a written report, is designed to gauge student understanding of cultural exchanges. The lesson plan includes clear criteria for grading the reports and a report format list that will allow students to choose the type of report they will prepare. Student understanding is promoted through the use of age appropriate tools, the requirement of active participation and procedural guidelines that reflect the multiple skill levels of learners. This lesson plan reflects high expectations for students that include both the acquisition and application of knowledge.". Courtesy of Ohio Social Studies Resource Center

People in Societies

BENCHMARK C » Explain how contact between different cultures impacts the diffusion of belief systems, art, science, technology, language and forms of government.

INDICATOR 3: Give examples of contacts among different cultures that led to the changes in belief systems, art, science, technology, language or systems of government.

The Legacies of Africa and China
This lesson is from the Ohio Department of Education
Students will work in teams to research African and Chinese cultural and scientific legacies. Students will show evidence of learning through presentations, graphic organizers and extended responses that include describing examples of those legacies and contact between cultures.